The present invention relates to Japanese Patent Application Serial Number 2000-196466, filed Jun. 29, 2000, from which priority is claimed.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for waveform reproduction. In preferred embodiments of the invention, it relates to a method and apparatus for reproducing various types of waveform data including, but not limited to, waveform data obtained by sampling a series of performed musical tones and waveform data produced and obtained by other means.
2. Description of Related Art
Waveform reproduction devices have been known for some time in the electronic musical instrument field. For example, there exist devices that sample and store musical tones as waveform data. By reproducing the waveform data, musical tones may be generated. One such device is shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication Number Hei 5-73054, wherein waveform data that has been stored in memory is read out from memory and reproduced in accordance with commands received from a controller.
However, with some waveform reproduction devices of the past, the operation of certain controllers has been directly related to the address locations of the waveform data. Since the corresponding relationship between a specified amount of movement of a controller, for example, one revolution of a control knob, and such musical time parameters as xe2x80x9cbeatsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbarsxe2x80x9d of music being reproduced in response to such movement is often not known, it is typically not possible for a user who operates these controllers to intuitively operate the controller in a way such that movement of the controller corresponds to the musical time parameters.
A waveform reproduction apparatus in which compression and expansion technology on the temporal axis is employed is shown in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication Number Hei 11-52954. In this apparatus, when the waveform data is reproduced, the reproduced pitch and reproduced tempo are each controlled independently. Since the reproduced tempo at the time that the waveform data is reproduced is specified, it becomes difficult to reproduce the waveform data in a way desired by the user. Accordingly, since the corresponding relationship between the movement of a controller and the increment in the waveform data being reproduced is typically not known, it is typically not possible to intuitively operate the controller in such a way that movement of the controller corresponds to musical time parameters.
Embodiments of the present invention address the problems associated with technologies of the past. It is therefore an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a waveform reproduction method and apparatus that provides a relationship between the amount of movement of a controller and various musical time parameters, including, but not limited to, xe2x80x9cbeatsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cbarsxe2x80x9d of music. It is also an object of an embodiment of the present invention to provide a waveform reproduction method and apparatus that allows a user to intuitively move a controller to correspond to such musical time parameters.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an embodiment of the present invention includes a first storage means for storing a series of waveform data and an input means for inputting location information corresponding to movement on a surface. The embodiment also includes a second storage means for storing position information corresponding to delimiters between segments of the waveform data stored in the first storage means, the waveform data having been divided into a multiple number of segments, and for storing corresponding position information indicating a position on the surface, the position on the surface indicated by the surface movement data. Also, the embodiment includes a position information generation means, wherein the position information for the waveform data stored in the first storage means is generated from the corresponding position information stored in the second storage means in accordance with the positions that are indicated by the location information input by the input means. Also, the embodiment includes a waveform formation means for forming musical tones from waveform data stored in the first storage means in accordance with pitches that correspond to pitch information that has been specified and correspond to the position information generated by the position information generation means.
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the position information for the waveform data stored in the first storage means is generated by the position information generation means using information corresponding to the position indicated by the surface movement data input by the input means. Since musical tones are formed by the waveform formation means using the waveform data that corresponds to this position information, it is possible for the user, who inputs the location information by the input means, to clearly comprehend the correspondence relationship between the location information that has been input by the input means and the musical time quantities of the waveform data being reproduced. It becomes possible, therefore, to intuitively operate a controller in such a way such that movement of the controller corresponds to musical time parameters.
Further embodiments of the invention include a waveform reproduction apparatus comprising a first memory for storing waveform data and a position detector for detecting position information corresponding to movement on a surface. Embodiments of the invention also include a second memory for storing musical time information; a position generator, wherein the position information for the waveform data stored in the first memory is generated from the corresponding position information stored in the second memory in accordance with the positions detected by the position detector; and a waveform generator for forming musical tones from waveform data stored in the first memory in accordance with pitches that correspond to pitch information that has been specified and corresponding to the position information generated by the position generator. Further, the waveform data of the first memory may comprise sampled music. Also, the position detector may comprise a flat surface, and the flat surface may comprise a pressure sensitive sheet. Further, the musical time information of the second memory may comprise a starting address for each beat of music, and also may comprise an address advance amount corresponding to movement on the surface. The position generator and the waveform generator may be implemented in a digital signal processor. The waveform apparatus may comprise a central processing unit; a digital signal processor interfaced to the central processing unit; a digital-to-analog converter interfaced to the digital signal processor; and a sound system for amplifying and playing music received from the digital-to-analog converter.
Further embodiments of the invention include a method for reproducing a waveform comprising storing waveform data; detecting a position corresponding to movement on a surface; and storing musical time information. The method may also comprise generating a position based on the waveform data and the musical time information; and generating a waveform forming musical tones from the waveform data and the musical time information. The method may also comprise generating a musical signal from the waveform data using a sound system.